Eviction notice served

Gforce_2

ampersand wrote: »

Forgive a moment's facetiousness please, Gforce.
I dare to hope the telephone opinion was one of NOW Medical's £10 specials...

lol ampersand, you make it sound smutty!:rotfl:

mumoftwins

Gforce wrote: »

I think the response by the Psychiatrist is the nowmedical assessment. The assessment should give the Dr's name and qualifications at the bottom of the report (if I remember rightly),

Further, the NOW Medical report states “Whilst it would seem likely that the applicant’s mental health difficulties may have contributed towards her difficulties in paying rent and her subsequent eviction, based on limited information provided, it is difficult to say that she was not capacious in her decision making at that time.” This demonstrates that they were unable to come to a firm decision or conclusion.

The final paragraph which states “However it may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …” further demonstrates their inability to come to a conclusion with regard to the effect my depression had on my decision making abilities.

What particularly disturbs me with relation to the NOW Medical report are the following facts:

1. That this report was dated 24 October 2007 and according to your Index of my file was received by you on 13 November 2007 (as revealed in the date stamp at the head of the report) which was four days after your decision that deemed me ‘Intentionally Homeless’.
2. That I was not made aware of the content of the report until 22 November 2007 when I was supplied with a copy of my file.
3. That you appear to have paid no regard to NOW Medical’s suggestion that it “may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …”



Part of the letter so far.

ampersand

Good Good - keep going.
Put Radio 4 on - pm'd you, but not important while letter flows.

Gforce_2

mumoftwins wrote: »

Further, the NOW Medical report states “Whilst it would seem likely that the applicant’s mental health difficulties may have contributed towards her difficulties in paying rent and her subsequent eviction, based on limited information provided, it is difficult to say that she was not capacious in her decision making at that time.” This demonstrates that they were unable to come to a firm decision or conclusion.

The final paragraph which states “However it may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …” further demonstrates their inability to come to a conclusion with regard to the effect my depression had on my decision making abilities.

What particularly disturbs me with relation to the NOW Medical report are the following facts:

1. That this report was dated 24 October 2007 and according to your Index of my file was received by you on 13 November 2007 (as revealed in the date stamp at the head of the report) which was four days after your decision that deemed me ‘Intentionally Homeless’.
2. That I was not made aware of the content of the report until 22 November 2007 when I was supplied with a copy of my file.
3. That you appear to have paid no regard to NOW Medical’s suggestion that it “may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …”



Part of the letter so far.

Is there anything in your file to suggest they received the report before the decision date? If it's not there you can argue that it didn't happen.
I would also question the LHO's ability to diagnose the severity of your depression at the time you started to go into arrears from her casual observations/dealings with you a few months down the road. I'd be asking her to disclose the medical qualifications (she won't have any) that gave her the expertise to do this.

rog2

Gforce wrote: »

lol ampersand, you make it sound smutty!:rotfl:

Please don't take this the wrong way, Gforce, but I actually do think that any medical opinion, and in particular one which could have such far-reaching implications as the 'NOW Medical' opinion, that is given purely by reading notes and without personal examination of the patient concerned, is indeed 'smutty'.
To offer such advice on 'discounted' special terms, puts the whole practice of using such 'profit orientated' organisations into question.
Basically - why can't they just send MOT to a recognised NHS psychiatric clinic for assessment?

ampersand

Yes, Gforce - I wondered about the 21-day period[24/10-13/11]but expedition date does not appear?
Is there any telephone note indicating LHO asked for info./gist prior to Homelessness Decision being made and her reliance upon it?
It's 5 days between HLO 'chasing Medical' 19/10, their dated report of 24/10[SENT WHEN?]which arrives only on 13/11.
HLO should have continued to chase for it as a matter of Urgency, given that her important decision , taken 9/11, was to be based on it.
Why isn't she chasing it beforehand?
mot, can you check with NOW Medical on dates and discrepancies?[can't see Confidentiality difficulty, as you are subject of report]

Gforce?

Thankyou rog2 - I was shocked to see NOW's Fee Table, even the existence of such a thing.

floss2

Even if NOW gave a verbal version prior to the decision date, there should be a note of that in the file.....otherwise how did HLO know what to base her decision on?!

mumoftwins

To:


Dear

I have asked my friend ***** to compose this letter as at present I feel unable to focus my mind on this task.

I wish to draw your attention to what I feel is a disregard of medical evidence presented to you in my appeal against your decision that I have made myself and my children ‘Intentionally Homeless’.

I have always been honest in my dealings with the Housing Department regarding my rent arrears and the reasons for them. This being that because of my depression I was unable to focus my mind and lacked the mental capacity to concentrate on my financial affairs. It was never a deliberate decision to avoid paying the rent on *****.

HO Decision
I would question the HO's ability to diagnose the severity of my depression at the time I started to go into arrears from her casual observations/dealings with me some months later. What medical qualifications does she have that gave her the expertise to do this?

GP Dr. ***** Report
You have a letter from my GP dated 24 September 2007 which gives information about visits to the surgery for the treatment of depression, anxiety, stress and Seasonal Affective Disorder.

You have a completed form from my GP about my depression. I feel that this form is totally inadequate in its scope for allowing the Doctor to fully detail my condition. My GP’s completion of this form states that she has diagnosed Depression and anxiety and that I am being prescribed medication for this condition. She states I have an “Ongoing history of anxiety and depression secondary to work stress and marital breakdown. Dr ***** also confirms that I am experiencing “Recurrent panic attacks, tearfulness, poor sleep and am unable to take on any new situations. That lack of confidence leads to confusion in dealing with finances.”

Dr. *****
You have a report from my Chiropractor which details treatment for hip and back problems which are historic but aggravated by a car accident; these ailments confirmed by x-ray. Treatments were restricted due to my financial difficulties. Dr. *****states in his report that “Miss ****condition will add stress to her daily quality of life as her pain affects the quality of her sleep …”

NOW Medical Report
You forwarded this form to NOW Medical who provided you with a report expressing their views based entirely on reading the form from my GP which consists of 6 questions of a general nature. Further NOW Medical made their report without having met with me or arranged a further examination.

The NOW Medical report states that “There are no other relevant medical issues.” However, as can be seen from my chiropractor’s report I am and have been for some time suffering from hip and back problems. Since March 2006 I have been going through my menopause. I would suggest that these physical problems have added to my depression. Which I will cover later.

The NOW Medical report does state that “depression can slow cognitive functioning and cause avoidance patterns of behaviour”. This has clarified for me exactly what I have been doing and why, in relation to rent arrears and other matters.

Further, the NOW Medical report states “Whilst it would seem likely that the applicant’s mental health difficulties may have contributed towards her difficulties in paying rent and her subsequent eviction, based on limited information provided, it is difficult to say that she was not capacious in her decision making at that time.” This demonstrates that they were unable to come to a firm decision or conclusion.

The final paragraph which states “However it may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …” further demonstrates their inability to come to a conclusion with regard to the effect my depression had on my decision making abilities.

What particularly disturbs me with relation to the NOW Medical report are the following facts:

1. That this report was dated 24 October 2007 and according to your Index of my file was received by you on 13 November 2007 (as revealed in the date stamp at the head of the report) which was four days after your decision that deemed me ‘Intentionally Homeless’.
2. That I was not made aware of the content of the report until 22 November 2007 when I was supplied with a copy of my file.
3. That you appear to have paid no regard to NOW Medical’s suggestion that it “may be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report …” The Housing Options Service Summary Sheets – entry dated 19/10/07 states: “Chased up medical with Now Medical. Was informed that that DR has requested that a psychiatrist look at it instead. Psychiatrist would be in on Monday and would respond then.” If the psychiatrist referred to in this entry is Dr. *******, who completed the NOW Medical report then (a) How can he make a psychiatric report without having met and examined me? (b) The NOW Medical report suggests as above “it would be prudent to obtain a psychiatric report relating to the events leading up to the incident in question.” This has been ignored and no such examination has been arranged or put to me.

Dr. ****Report
I am aware that my previous GP, with whom I was registered in the Midlands for 23 years has submitted his report to you on or about 20 November 07 but to date you have not supplied me with a copy. This report will be highly relevant as it will deal with my historic treatment for depression etc.



Additional Information
I refer to the second paragraph under NOW Medical – page 2 above. “There are no other relevant medical issues.” I would like to take issue with this. How can they come to such a decision based on reading my GP’s answer to 6 questions? The fact is I have been suffering menopausal symptoms since March 2006 and this as any Doctor or female will know can have dramatic effects on one’s state of mind and ability to cope with traumatic events. Further, the lack of sleep and almost constant pain caused by my hip and back problems does affect my ability to concentrate on daily matters. This is not made easier by the fact that my financial difficulties prevented me from having the frequent Chiropractic treatments necessary to ease my physical disabilities.

In closing I would like to say that my present temporary living accommodation, a one bedroom 3rd floor flat is aggravating my depression. Whilst I and my children are grateful for a roof over our heads it is not ideal with three of us sleeping in 2 beds in one room. Also, climbing three flights of stairs is further aggravating my physical condition, i.e: my back and hip problems.

chevalier

If I was your HLO or her boss, and I read that letter, I would be going oh !!!!!!!!! about now! I think it is great, and pulls holes in their case the whole way through. You go girl! Has the report come out in the paper yet, and it so can we have a link to it online?

One other thing, if you are still in back and hip pain, can your GP not refer you to NHS physio? Not necessarily as good as the chiro, but free?

chev

mumoftwins

chevalier wrote: »

If I was your HLO or her boss, and I read that letter, I would be going oh !!!!!!!!! about now! I think it is great, and pulls holes in their case the whole way through. You go girl! Has the report come out in the paper yet, and it so can we have a link to it online?

One other thing, if you are still in back and hip pain, can your GP not refer you to NHS physio? Not necessarily as good as the chiro, but free?

chev

Thanks Chev!

Report will be in paper next Wednesday and I'll pm you the details. Chiro is better for me than physio as I tried that years ago but it didn't have effect but thanks for suggestion.

Twins back from their father's who is now nearly £200 lighter in his wallet as I couldn't afford the new trainers and school coats they needed - so mustn't grumble about him for time being:rolleyes: